e-Teaching and e-Assessment of minimum-maximum problems using Maple

Computer Algebra Systems, CAS, are now mature. For years, we've used Maple, a leading CAS, in weekly computer laboratory sessions: a component of an otherwise traditional rst semester calculus course at university. The Maple topics come from the senior school curriculum, but with innovative approaches to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. A major objective is that students have a positive attitude to using Maple. Some of rst year calculus repeats senior school calculus: including \Word problems" which have always been di cult for students. This paper focuses on Maximum problems. Our Maple topics have no lectures: students work collaboratively in small groups. We introduce an explicit Polya approach to a maximizing an area problem, with an assignment on the Norman window problem that's individualized for each student group. We discuss a variety of assessment methods: paper submission, marked by hand; Maple le submission, marked by annotating each Maple le; automatic marking of the answer using Maple - which MapleTA can also do (without student use of Maple for the solution). Within Maple, we have implemented a procedure to mark plots (which no other Com- puter Aided Assessment can do). Surveys show students really like immediate automatic marking. We discuss a following session (on maximizing area) that introduces multiple repre- sentations and multiple solution methods: graphical (zoom-in), animation, proof without calculus and calculus; with an accompanying parameterized assignment. Students are engaged, active and collaborative learners with these Maple sessions.